Forza 3, Borderlands early-birds banned

Microsoft is handing out permanent Xbox Live bans for "pre-release title play" of Borderlands or Forza Motorsport 3 - both due out this Friday.

Only illegitimate owners of those games will be punished. If you, somehow, obtained a promotional or retail copy you will not be affected.

"Don't worry folks, anyone who bought a copy early is OK," Sephen Toulouse, Microsoft's law enforcer, Twittered. "In general, if you got a receipt, play away. These are [illegitimate] copies we're hitting."

Forza Motorsport 3 took home the series' third 9/10 on Eurogamer last week. Our Forza 3 review tells why.

Our Borderlands review will be published on Friday, launch day. [Ed's note: Turns out we can run it tomorrow after all, so you'll see it then.]